Milestones of Science Books

GERSDORFF, Hans von [RYFF, Walter, editor].

Feld und Stattbuch bewerter Wundtartznei. New widerumb ersehen zusampt dem Antidotari, Fürsorg und Vorrath der Chirurgei.

Frankfurt am Main: Christian Egenolff the elder, 1556.

2nd Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. Item #003750

4to (190 x 145 mm). [8], 84 leaves. Title with large woodcut illustration, woodcut text illustrations (several full-page). Signatures: *⁴ A-X⁴. 20th century half vellum, boards covered with reused 16th century paper sheet of religious text. Somewhat browned internally, a few faint marginal dampstains and thumb-spots, small hole in N4 affecting one word, short clean tear in X4, large woodcut illustrations on f.12v and f.50v shaved at fore-margin, ff. 18-19 torn with partial loss of image recto and verso on f.18 and some words of headline text on f.19 recto and verso. ----

VD16 G 1629; NLM/Durling 4040. - SECOND EDITION of Ryff's adaptation of Gersdorff's famous Feldbuch der Wundarznei, first published by Egenolff in 1551. A military surgeon with extensive practical experience, Gersdorff introduced new and sound practices for the treatment of wounds and amputations. His Feldbuch, first published in Strassburg in 1517, provides a summary of human anatomy derived from old Arabic writings, Guy de Chauliac, and other sources; a guide to the surgical treatment of wounds; the treatment of leprosy; and provides Latin-German glosses of medical vocabulary. It went through a dozen editions, including translations, in its first century, and was incorporated into other medical works of the period. The vivid woodcuts of surgical instruments and procedure mark a high point of medical illustration. Gersdorff's was the first printed picture of an amputation, and several illustrations, such as of the ambe, became standard in subsequent German surgical texts as in this edition. - Visit our website to see more images!

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